The use of wind energy dates back to 5000 B.C as the people of the era used the energy to propel boats along the Nile river. However, wind energy was built in 1887 in Cleveland, Ohio by Charles F Brush. He was an electrician by profession and built the first eighty-five-foot tall windmill in his backyard. The marvelous model of the windmill was later showcased at the world fair and gained a considerable amount of attention during the 1970s when gas prices skyrocketed and people moved towards the alternative to gas-wind energy.
Since the introduction of wind energy, many countries have adopted it and noticed an improvement in pollution control, reduced electricity bills, and adequate energy supply. Likewise, India too made a significant place for itself in the top three global ranking countries for using sources of renewable energy. Let’s take a look at how and why wind energy proved so successful in India.
1)Renewable energy – Like solar, hydro, and tidal, the wind is also one of the major sources of renewable energy. No matter how much you use wind energy, it never depletes and hence you can rely on the source without any tension in the future. Additionally, renewable energy helps in diversifying the energy supply and reducing the reliability of marine heavy fuel oil or other fossil fuels.
2)Generates employment – Fortunately, India has a 7600-kilometer coastline surrounded by water from three sides which acts as a facilitating factor to harness and utilize wind energy effectively. After realizing the importance of this fact, India introduced the “National offshore wind energy policy” on 6th October 2015. The policy aimed to provide suitable incentives for the management of maritime renewable energy resources in India’s Exclusive economic zone.
The awareness and the steps taken by the government regarding the usage of wind energy have created hope in the field of employment as well as increased jobs in the manufacturing, and installation departments of the industries. According to the research, India can create at least 2.4 million jobs through wind energy as the country gets closer to its goal of providing electricity through 500 GW of electricity generation through the wind.
3)Replacing fossil fuel – Using conventional sources of energy like coal and petroleum for fueling vehicles and generating electricity is not only harmful to the environment but also to the consumer’s pocket. Fossil fuel users suffer from high electricity bills and spread impurities in the environment as well. On the contrary, wind energy is not only convenient money-wise but also replaces fossil fuels which deplete at a faster rate as there is a limit to their availability.
4)Produce negligible pollution – Wind energy produces negligible pollution and keeps the environment green and clean. On the other hand, using coal and petroleum is highly detrimental to the environment as well as human health. Using wind energy guarantees the emission of no harmful greenhouse gases and pollutants. This feature of renewable energy safeguards the ozone layer and reduces the chances of acid rain and lung and heart diseases in human beings.
5)Wind energy is cost-effective – According to the survey, land-based wind utility-scale wind is among the most economical sources of energy with just 1-2 cents per kilowatt power. Additionally, the price of electricity from wind energy remains fixed for a longer period. This helps in erasing the unpredictable nature of the price and paves the way for a more stable market.
1)Generates electricity
Generating electricity from wind is not only economical but also easy. Electricity from wind is generated through the use of turbine blades. The wind blades of the turbine collect the kinetic energy of the wind which in turn creates a lifting effect in the blades themselves. On the other hand, the wings are connected to the blade shaft which accelerates the speed of the electric generator to generate electricity.
2)Grinding grain and water pumping
Windmills are capable of pumping water from depths of sixty meters. The best part is that you need not use any other fuel for its operation and they can be easily installed in remote windy areas where the majority population faces water scarcity.
First, these windmills are used for pumping water and generating electricity. However, later, they were used for grinding grains as well. Grinding grains through a windmill is highly advantageous for the areas where grain grinding is a large-scale action. Needless to say, about three fourth of the population of India lives in villages and hence requires both grain grinding and water pumping facilities for a good quality of life.
4)No greenhouse gas emissions
The wind is a renewable source of energy which means it is an excellent replacement for coal and natural gas and hence extremely helpful in reducing carbon footprint. According to an NREL study, using wind energy for generating 35 percent of electricity in the western United States could easily reduce the emission of carbon dioxide by up to 45 percent.
5)Fueling ships
The energy sources to propel ships have gone through major transformations in the last 150 years. From first using coal to heavy diesel and marine diesel, the shipping industry has witnessed many phases when it comes to using different forms of energy. The consumption and demand for non-renewable fuels increased considerably in the shipping sector around the year 2012- 2013.
According to the International Maritime Organisation estimation, the shipping industry consumed 250 to 350 million tonnes of fuel annually which is the lowest when compared to other sectors. However, the demand for non-renewable sources in the shipping industry will escalate and lead to ten times more emissions in the future if no steps are taken in this regard. This is where wind energy comes into the picture. Wind energy is a lot cheaper, environmentally friendly, and easier to produce than other forms of energy.
Initiatives of the Indian Government
India is promoting wind energy countrywide through many financial and fiscal benefits like concessional exemption customs on certain parts of wind generators. Besides financial support, technical support has also been provided by identifying the best sites for wind energy and assessment of energy resources by the esteemed Chennai institute of India. Interstate wind exchange was encouraged by writing off the transmission charges and losses that happened during the transmission process.
The Indian government joined hands with the National Institute of Wind Energy in 2015 to formulate and announce a policy framework for wind development in the offshore area.
Talking about the progress India made so far in the context of wind energy development, Gujarat surpassed other states by installing 202 Megawatts of wind capacity by the year 2022. The state is followed by Karnataka with a total installation of 54 MegaWatt of power capacity and 5.1 GW wind installations which makes up to thirteen percent of the market share.
Wind energy is a clean fuel source. Wind energy does not pollute our environments like fossil fuel-dependent power plants that emit hazardous gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Wind power is an important component of a sustainable energy portfolio because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air quality and local economic development, and maintains wildlife habitats.
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